


Peppermint Tea

by MilkTeaMiku



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Marriage, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 16:02:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12236109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilkTeaMiku/pseuds/MilkTeaMiku
Summary: At any point in time, if someone asked Shiro if he was concerned about anything, he could list off a dozen things without having to think too hard. There were the normal things that living an adult life demanded, like paying the bills on time and putting the dishes away every night and folding laundry. There were work demands too, and the ever-pressing worry of ensuring his wife knew just how perfect and beautiful he found her every single day. Of course, his greatest worry at the moment was regarding said wife.-Allura has been sick for a few mornings now and Shiro is worried.





	Peppermint Tea

Shiro was worried.

At any point in time, if someone asked him if he was concerned about anything, he could list off a dozen things without having to think too hard. There were the normal things that living an adult life demanded, like paying the bills on time and putting the dishes away every night and folding laundry. There were work demands too, and the ever-pressing worry of ensuring his wife knew just how perfect and beautiful he found her every single day.

Of course, his greatest worry at the moment was regarding said wife.

Allura was sick. 

One thing Shiro had quickly learned about Allura after first meeting her all those years ago was that she was resilient. There wasn’t much that could keep her down. It was like her sheer perseverance was enough to scare away common colds and allergies and anything that could possibly leave her bedridden. She took care of herself and drank plenty of water and even had a work-night bedtime she didn’t often stray from. She was healthy and strong and in all the time Shiro had known her, she’d only ever gotten sick twice, once with the sniffles and then with food poisoning.

So to have his wife throwing up at all hours of the morning certainly did worry Shiro, no matter how many times she waved him away.

“I just ate something bad,” Allura insisted, her voice croaky, as she hunched over the bathroom sink. It was four in the morning and she’d lurched out of the bed so suddenly that he’d startled awake instantly. “It’s not that bad. Go back to bed.”

Shiro frowned. He’d pulled Allura’s hair away from her face and tied it with a band he’d found in the bathroom drawer, though it was a messy job. How he was rubbing Allura’s back and trying not to hover. “This is the third time this week,” he reminded her, gentle. “Maybe it’s more than food.”

Allura shook her head. She rinsed out her mouth and shakily reached for her toothbrush. “We went to that new restaurant last week, remember? I’ve been sick since.”

It was true that they had gone to a new restaurant, but nothing Shiro ate had made him sick, and he distinctly remembered Allura waking up like this at least once before they’d gone there. He wasn’t going to mention it though, not when it would just bother her. She was clearly exhausted, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

He waited until she’d brushed her teeth before scooping her up as smoothly as he could.

“Shiro!” She complained, as she looped an arm around his shoulders. Being sick had made her pale, but her cheeks looked a little pinker.

“What?” Shiro asked, voice light and teasing, “my princess should never have to walk on her own two feet.”

“Our bedroom is right there,” she said, as she nodded towards their bed. Their room had a surprisingly spacious en suite so the bed was only a few short paces from the bathroom, but that didn’t matter. He could tell Allura was wobbly on her legs and he just wanted her back in bed and resting as soon as possible.

“Obviously it’s too far for a sick princess to walk on her own,” Shiro said. He grinned at Allura’s fond little snort of laughter. “Besides, I’m sure you’d carry me back to bed if I were sick, too. Think of this as fair treatment.”

“I’d carry you, would I?”

“Definitely.”

“Am I even strong enough to lift you?” She pointedly looked at his chest. “You have a lot of muscles.”

“I’ve seen you lift some pretty heavy things, Princess. Don’t go all coy on me now.”

Allura laughed again. Seeing her smile loosened the knot in Shiro’s stomach. He carried her to bed and settled her under the covers. Allura’s eyes fluttered the moment her head touched her pillows.

“Do you want me to get you a hot water bottle?” Shiro asked.

Allura nodded. The heat would help her stomach settle, so Shiro tucked her in and went to get it for her. As much as he wanted to believe that it really was just bad food, he had a nagging thought that maybe she really was sick. He’d heard that there was a vicious stomach bug going around, and he was worried she may have caught it. 

But as much as he worried, Allura hated admitting that she was ill, so bringing up the topic with her was difficult. It was easier just to fuss over her until she got better or went to the doctor, though he would be sure to insist if she got any worse. For now he would listen to her when she said it was just something upsetting her stomach, even if he didn’t believe it. She would hopefully be better within the next week or so.

Except she wasn’t.

The sickness continued and she was exhausted no matter how much sleep she got. It became so bad that she took the latter half of the week off work, which really worried him. Allura was the type of woman who never missed work unless it was an emergency. Half the time he had to drag her away from it just so she’d relax and enjoy her weekends. She really was a dedicated woman.

It didn’t help that Allura had suddenly developed a great sense of smell. Shiro had been cooking eggs for breakfast one morning when the scent of them had prompted Allura to dash to the bathroom. He could hardly smell them himself, and yet she was completely revolted.

“I think it’s more than bad food,” he finally said, when it became clear she still hadn’t recovered. 

Allura gave him a sour look. She’d stayed home all day and the only reason he hadn’t was because she’d ordered him to go to work. After he’d made dinner that night – a meal completely void of anything even vaguely egg-like – she’d curled up on his armchair with one of his old sweaters thrown over her like a blanket and refused to move all evening. Not even a cup of her favourite peppermint tea had lured her off the sofa.

“I don’t want it to be anything other than food poisoning,” Allura murmured. 

Shiro could only sigh. He knew she hated appearing weak, even though being sick was something that eventually happened to everyone. Allura didn’t like being a burden and no matter how many times Shiro expressed how much he liked taking care of her, she could be incredibly stubborn, and sometimes she refused to budge at all. Like that night, for example.

“Allura, I’m worried,” Shiro said. He crouched down beside the armchair and passed her tea over, careful to keep the cup cradled in her cold palms. He didn’t speak until she met his eyes. “You’re my wife and I love you more than anything, and seeing you sick makes me worried.”

The furrow in her brow softened. “I know,” she whispered. “I’m sorry for being stubborn. I just hate not being able to do anything without feeling ill. Sometimes I feel completely fine and then all of the sudden I’m rushing to the bathroom to throw up. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

He rubbed her hands gently, and waited for her to drink most of her tea in a few thirsty gulps before putting the mug aside. “It could be a stomach bug,” he said. “How about this? If you aren’t completely better by Monday, then you go to the doctor and see what they have to say.”

Allura thought about it for a moment, then sighed, and nodded. “That’s fair.”

He gave her a soft smile and straightened. “Okay, perfect. It’s getting late now, how about we go to bed?” It wasn’t actually that late, but he could tell Allura was relieved at the suggestion. She glanced up at him out from beneath her eyelashes.

“Carry me?”

He laughed, but obliged her. He was a physically strong guy thanks to all of his years in the Garrison, and although Allura wasn’t a short woman, he didn’t really struggle when picking her up, not when she was pliant in his arms. His mind briefly flashed back to their wedding, when the photographer had wanted shots of him holding her in the typical bridal-style carry pose. Her dress had been long and beautiful and covered in these little beads and bits of lace that had weighed much more than they looked. He’d still been able to lift her, but that was perhaps the only time he’d ever struggled. How she’d walked around and danced in that dress still baffled him.

“Oh, don’t forget the sweater, Shiro!” Allura said, as she reached down to pluck up his sweater from where it had fallen onto the couch. At his raised brow, she flushed, and fixed her gaze elsewhere. “What? It smells like your cologne. I like it.”

A little part of him went warm on the inside when she said cute things like that.

He took her to bed, sweater and all, and brushed his teeth while she made herself comfortable. She’d taken to sleeping with a hot water bottle pressed against her stomach every night now, so he filled one for her before pulling back the covers. Allura had his sweater tucked against her chest as she shuffled over to curl up against him, sighing. He slipped an arm beneath her pillow and held her close, pressing languid kisses to her forehead until she was fast asleep. 

He liked holding her while she slept. Her entire body went lax and her face softened, her expression falling open. There was nothing tense or coiled about Allura when she slept, not even when she was restless. She looked like an angel surrounded by her silver cloud of hair and even if he woke up with a lot of it strewn across his face he wouldn’t change it for the world. 

Even now, after years of dating and living together and being married, Allura still astounded him. From the first moment he’d laid his eyes on her he’d known she was wonderful in every way possible, and he hadn’t been wrong.

But there was just something really delightful about watching her sleep. He’d mentioned it once, when he’d still been embarrassed by his tendency to linger awake just so he could see the way she looked when nothing in the world could ever bother her. Allura hadn’t been upset, or freaked out like he’d feared. Instead she had been flattered and more than ready to admit that she had an impressive collection of photos of him from when he’d passed out on the couch or fallen asleep slumped against her side of the bed during the middle of a sleepy, warm day.

He just really loved her, and wanted her to be better as soon as possible.

Come Monday and Allura had made an appointment with the doctor. She’d been fine for the most part, but her nausea hadn’t gone away and it only took one more middle-of-the-night trip to the toilet before she was conceding that something was indeed wrong. Shiro wanted to go with her to her appointment, but once again he’d found himself at work on her orders. With all the days she’d taken off lately it would be better if at least one of them continued to work. 

He’d expected to receive a text message or phone call from her sometime during his lunch break detailing what the doctor had said. It was what she normally would have done so that she didn’t disrupt him when he was working, though he wouldn’t have minded if she did.

What he hadn’t expected was for her to call mid-morning, just after what he assumed was the end of her appointment. “Hey, Allura,” he said, as soon as he answered his phone, “how did the appointment go?”

“Hey,” she said. She was silent for a moment, before asking, “Can you come home now?”

The shakiness in her voice made something horrid twist in his stomach. A million bad things crossed his mind but he forced them away. It would do no good to jump to conclusions when he didn’t even know what was wrong. “Of course,” he said, forcing his voice to be as even and comforting as possible, “I’ll be home soon.” He paused. He couldn’t help himself. “You’re alright, though?”

“Yeah,” she said.

“Okay. I’ll see you soon.”

Her reassurance did little to ease his worries. Shiro counted himself lucky that his boss was lenient with him and let him leave early. 

The drive home didn’t take too long. He made sure not to speed and to stay calm, and didn’t rush inside even though he really wanted to. There was no need to make a fuss over anything. At least, that’s what he told himself.

Allura was curled up on his armchair again, wearing his old sweater this time. Her knees were drawn up and she had a cup of tea clutched in between her palms. Shiro could smell the peppermint from across the room.

He left his bag by the front door and loosened his tie as he made his way over to her. “Hey,” he said, as he leaned down to drop a kiss on her forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay.” Her smile was tight, but it was a smile nevertheless. “Sorry for making you come home.”

“Don’t apologise for that.” He sat on the edge of the coffee table in front of her, reluctant to be as far away as the other couches, even if they weren’t far away at all. From this distance he could reach out and hold her hands if he wanted to. “How did the appointment go? You look tired.”

“I am tired,” she said, sighing. A strange look passed over her face, one that made her blue eyes glance away from him. For a moment she looked worried, and then she didn’t. “At least I know I’m not sick.”

He frowned, confused.

“Not in the way I thought, anyway,” she clarified. She passed him her mug and he set it down beside him before taking her hands in his. He needed something to hold and her skin was pleasantly warmed from the tea. 

“What’s been making you ill, then?” He asked.

“Well…”

“Allura?”

“It’s just… I-”

Concern mounted in him. “Are you sure you’re alright? You look like you’re going to be sick.”

“No, I’m-”

“I can get you some water-”

“Shiro!”

He went silent, eyes wide. Allura looked flustered and red-cheeked as she all but sunk into the huge sweater hanging off her shoulders.

“I’m pregnant,” she said.

His eyes almost instantly darted down to her stomach. He tried to imagine it growing to accommodate a child – he’d seen other women pregnant before, but he couldn’t connect that image to Allura. It went right over his head. He looked back up at her.

“I’m pregnant,” she said again, her voice tinged with nervousness and amusement.

It took a moment to hit him. He felt his face go blank, then confused, then blank again as his mind struggled to process what she was saying. Pregnant? He was going to be a father.

He sat up straighter.

He was going to be a _father._

Allura was _pregnant._

“Really?” He choked out. They’d spoken about it before, at length – of course they had, Allura wouldn’t have gone off her birth control pills and he wouldn’t have stopped using protection half the time if they hadn’t. Now that they’d been together for ages and they were married and they had a house and their finances were stable, they’d decided to be more lenient with the whole protection thing. They’d agreed that now or in the near future was a good time to start a family with one another, and if it happened, it happened.

And it had happened.

He glanced down at her stomach again and forced out another elated, “Really?”

“Yes,” she said, “the doctor confirmed it this morning.”

Everything suddenly made a lot of sense. The sickness, the aversion to certain foods, the fatigue – it was because she was pregnant. Because there was a little life growing inside of her and it was half her and half him. Half Allura and half Shiro.

His eyes went watery. “You’re pregnant?”

“Yes,” she said again, laughing. “You’re going to be a Dad.”

He bit the inside of his cheek, blinking several times. It did little to help the whole tearful situation. “Really?”

“Yes!”

“You’re pregnant,” he said with more conviction this time. His fingers tightened around hers as a delirious happiness bubbled inside him. He didn’t know what to do with himself. “We’re going to have a baby.”

She nodded. Her pretty blue eyes had gone watery too. She folded their hands together, this time holding his in hers. “You’re alright with that?” She asked carefully.

“Of course!” He said. It hadn’t even occurred to him that she might be nervous about him wanting their baby. He felt like he’d never wanted anything more in his life, except perhaps to marry her. “Allura, we’re going to have a baby!”

Allura laughed, louder and happier this time. She slipped off the armchair to nestle into his arms and didn’t even complain when he hugged her too tight. He couldn’t help but kiss her – her lips and the corner of her mouth when he got too teary and her forehead after brushing strands of silky hair behind her ears. Without anything else to do, he put his arms around her and held on with the intention of never letting go and sniffled into her hair.

“Aw Shiro, don’t cry,” Allura said. She sounded traitorously emotional herself. “I’ve already got one baby, I don’t need a second.”

He laughed, delighted.

They were going to be _parents._ He’d never been happier in his life.

**Author's Note:**

> Fluffy Shallura is my favourite Shallura ❤
> 
> -
> 
> [my tumblr](http://milkteamiku.tumblr.com/)   
>  [my twitter](https://twitter.com/fairydens)   
> 


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